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Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant provides platform for UGA’s black alumni INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS
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UGA Symphony Orchestra to perform Feb. 28 concert featuring Beethoven, Mahler Vol. 47, No. 25
February 24, 2020
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
School of Law wins annual National Moot Court Competition
By Lona Panter lonap@uga.edu
Photo by Scott Duvall of Jawavi Films
Nathan Stuck is the co-founder and chair of B Local Georgia, which is growing the B Corp movement in the state.
Business with a purpose Terry College program puts emphasis on innovation
By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
Nathan Stuck didn’t return to Athens to change the community, much less the world. After a decade into his career working at a small business, then a large one, and even for himself, Stuck came back to Georgia to get an MBA—and to just hit reset. He stumbled into the B Corp movement to improve companies’ social and environmental impacts, and he helped lay the groundwork for UGA’s Terry College of Business to prepare students to balance profits and the public good in their business careers. As an MBA student, Stuck found an opportunity to help the tech services firm Ad Victoriam Solutions (based in Atlanta) fulfill its founder’s vision to become a socially conscious
company. And not just based on its own standards. Companies can become certified B Corporations by undergoing a rigorous audit of their business that looks at a company’s impact on its community, environment, workforce and customers. In the process, Stuck not only helped Ad Victoriam achieve its goal, but he also landed a job as director of corporate culture. The experience of Stuck and other students who helped companies get B Corp certification got Santanu Chatterjee thinking. Chatterjee, the director of Terry College’s Full-Time MBA and MS in Business Analytics programs, was watching two significant trends in business: 1) corporations increasingly striving to be socially responsive, and 2) a growing workforce that increasingly values purpose-driven careers.
“The big question for us is how we’re preparing the future minds that will lead our economy and our businesses and society,” said Chatterjee. “Are we preparing them well enough to address some of these big challenges? These challenges are both at the local and community level as well as the national and global level.” To make sure Georgia MBA graduates are well equipped and empowered in their pursuit of purpose-driven careers, the Terry College established an area of focus in Social Innovation for Full-Time MBA students starting last fall. They can work on a skill set in social innovation by taking courses on sustainability, public policy or innovation, and by working on an applied learning project—such as serving on a nonprofit board,
See INNOVATION on page 8
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The University of Georgia School of Law recently won the 70th annual National Moot Court Competition, which is the oldest and most prestigious moot court competition in the country. Third-year law students Jonathan Kaufman, John Lex Kenerly IV and Joseph H. “Joe” Stuhrenberg represented UGA in the tournament, and Stuhrenberg was named the competition’s best oralist. After prevailing in regional
rounds of the competition, the trio was undefeated in the national tier of the tournament, which was held Feb. 10-13 in New York City. During the contest, the UGA law school team overcame teams from the law schools at Georgetown University, Loyola University Chicago and Drake University before beating Saint Louis University in the final round. “Our victory at one of the most respected competitions in the country is certainly something to celebrate,” School of Law Director of Advocacy Kellie Casey said.
See MOOT on page 8
CENTER FOR THE ECOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
UGA launches COVID-19 tracker to provide data-driven awareness The University of Georgia Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases has launched a new Coronavirus Tracker. The tracker is the work of CEID’s Coronavirus Working Group, convened to provide timely, data-driven situation awareness about the COVID-19 outbreak. Due to the lack of prior data during the emergence of a novel pathogen, the ability to respond quickly and effectively depends on the timely assessment of information collected in real time. On Jan. 24, the CEID formed the Coronavirus Working Group, a group of about 20 scientists with data science expertise in data manipulation and interpretation, visualization, GIS, machine learning, computational statistics and dynamical modeling. The Working Group’s 2019
Coronavirus Tracker provides datadriven, information-rich situation awareness about the rapidly changing conditions of the current outbreak. Activities include: • Mapping the spatial spread of COVID-19 within China and abroad. • Developing models for understanding the early stages of transmission and extrapolation to future events. • Estimating key parameters related to transmission. • Compiling clinical and epidemiological information to aid in the development and interpretation of model outputs as well as understanding of events as they are observed. • Assessing the effectiveness of public health interventions on containment. The tracker is updated every morning about 9 a.m. and is at http://2019-coronavirus-tracker.com/.
University’s observance of Women’s History Month to honor centennial of 19th Amendment AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE By Terri Hatfield tlhat@uga.edu
In recognition of the 2020 national Women’s History Month theme “Valiant Women of the Vote,” the Institute for Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia will be hosting numerous programs in March that honor the centennial of the 19th Amendment. This year’s Women’s History Month keynote address will be presented by Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Tetrault specializes in the history of women and gender in the U.S., focusing on feminism and social movements, American democracy and the politics of memory. She is an active public historian and researches and lectures on the U.S. women’s suffrage movement, broadly construed.
Her lecture, “Women and the Right t o Vo t e : A History Unfinished,” will take place on March 4 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 271 of Lisa Tetrault the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. A reception sponsored by the Lucy Hargrett Draper Center and Archives for the Study of the Rights of Women in History and Law will immediately follow the lecture. The Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library’s exhibition, The Strategies for Suffrage: Mobilizing a Nation for Women’s Rights, will be on display in the Hargrett Library Gallery before the lecture and during the reception. The Institute for Women’s Studies will continue its tradition
of hosting a film festival during March featuring documentaries and feature films highlighting the often-overlooked stories of women fighting against systemic and structural forces of discrimination, disenfranchisement and misrepresentation. This festival is co-sponsored by the Lucy Hargrett Draper Center and Archives for the Study of the Rights of Women in History and Law. All film screenings are free and open to the public and will take place at 6:30 p.m. in Room 271 of the Russell Special Collections Building. This year’s film selections include Iron Jawed Angels on March 2; Ida B. Wells: A Passion for Justice on March 16; Standing on my Sisters’ Shoulders on March 23; and Golden Gate Girls on March 30. A complete list of Women’s History Month programming at UGA is available online at http://iws.uga.edu/.
Kisaalita, College of Engineering professor, named AAAS Fellow
By Mike Wooten
mwooten@uga.edu
William Kisaalita, a professor in the University of Georgia College of Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The honor is presented to AAAS members by their peers for scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Kisaalita is being recognized for his contributions to the field of development engineering, particularly in the use of humancentered design for the creation of technology-based interventions for low-resource settings. Kisaalita’s research has led to the creation of three devices in commercial use,
including a biofuel-powered cooler to keep milk fresh and safe to drink in areas without electricity, such as sub-Saharan William Kisaalita Africa. “I am deeply humbled by this recognition by my peers. However, I should mention that these contributions would not be possible without the many graduate and undergraduate students I have worked with over the years—this is their recognition as well,” said Kisaalita. “I am excited and look forward to continued inquiry, creation and service toward See FELLOW on page 8
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DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS, DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Interdisciplinary study to analyze ways to reduce rural incarceration rates By Roger Nielsen nielsen@uga.edu
An interdisciplinary team at the University of Georgia was awarded a grant by the Vera Institute of Justice to address increasing incarceration rates in rural communities and the impact of jailing people who are mentally ill or substance abusers. The $235,000 grant will allow faculty from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Work to develop a “research hub” and work with up to 15 rural Georgia counties to find ways to safely divert people with mental health and substance abuse issues from jails. The Vera Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports criminal justice reform efforts in 40 states, awarded grants to UGA and Washington State University to develop what the Vera Institute envisions will become its Rural Jails Research and Policy Network. Local jail populations in rural jurisdictions across America have grown dramatically over the past 45 years, according to the UGA researchers. Many of the minor offenses that land people in jail are the result of poverty, untreated mental illness or substance abuse and a lack of access to diversionary programs designed to treat them. The grant will allow the university to develop training programs to help communities make more informed decisions about jail versus treatment options. Participating counties will commit to attend training sessions, engage in discussions about criminal justice issues impacting their communities and share data among themselves and with the university. The UGA hub will be developed by Sarah Shannon, associate professor of sociology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Beverly Johnson, a faculty member in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a public service and outreach unit. Also on the project are Orion Mowbray, associate professor in the School of Social Work, and Holly Lynde, a fiscal analyst in the Vinson Institute.
Greek councils establish two scholarships for undergraduates By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
The University of Georgia Panhellenic Council and UGA Interfraternity Council each gave $100,000, matched by the UGA Foundation, to establish two endowed, need-based scholarships through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program. “We are so excited by and proud of these councils and their member organizations,” said Victor K. Wilson, vice president for student affairs. “Our students understand the value of a UGA education, and to see them commit to providing that opportunity to others—in perpetuity—is inspiring.” The Panhellenic Council governs UGA’s 19 female fraternities and sororities that are members of the National Panhellenic Conference, and the Interfraternity Council represents 26 member fraternities at the university. The two councils gave to these scholarship funds on behalf of their member organizations, and both scholarships will support an incoming freshman in the 2020 fall semester. “The students who contributed to these gifts are among the most engaged and motivated at the university, but this goes above and beyond,” said Eric Atkinson, associate vice president for student affairs. “Their commitment to UGA will now live far beyond their years on campus and will enrich the university forever.” Through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, the UGA Foundation matches—dollar for dollar—any gift in the amount of $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000 to establish an endowed, need-based scholarship for undergraduate students. The scholarship is awarded
Submitted photo
Pictured, from left, are Victor K. Wilson, vice president for student affairs; Jennings Brooks, UGA Panhellenic Council president; Jere W. Morehead, UGA president; Brennan Cox, UGA Interfraternity Council president; and Kelly Kerner, vice president for development and alumni relations.
within a year of the donor making their gift, and from that point forward, the endowment grows—increasing the size of the scholarship award over time and helping student after student earn a UGA degree. “The Panhellenic Council holds service among our four core values, and what better way to make an impact than serving our direct community?” said Jennings Brooks, Panhellenic Council president. “By giving to the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Fund, we are ensuring that our legacy’s impact will go beyond the Panhellenic community, impacting the university as a whole for years to come.” Since the matching program’s creation in 2017, more than $77 million has been dedicated to need-based aid, with more than 330 donors giving to
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
SIGNATURE LECTURE
The UGA dance department’s CORE Contemporary and Aerial Dance will present its 2020 season performance Feb. 27-29 at 8 p.m. at the New Dance Theatre in the Dance Building. The company will premiere Soul Searching and feature guest artist Mario Vircha’s Mirgrare. Soul Searching is a nonstop show consisting of 12 diverse aerial and dance vignettes that are emotional and action-packed. The show explores personal, cultural, political and environmental perceptions about current and imminent global issues and migration along with portrayals of Native Americans and Parisian street dancers. The multimedia performance is enhanced through a visual landscape incorporating projection mapping, animation and film. The company will perform on silks, slings, lyras, trapeze and bungee cords. Performing members are Olivia Byers, Madison Calderwood, Baylee Davenport, Brenna Hayes, Evann Guthrie, Kristin Jaspers, Madeleine Johnson, Aviva Kasowski, Rachel Kelley, Claire Korfas, Alex Ozbilen, Audrey Snow, Regan Sadowski and Grace Weigel. Vircha, featured guest choreographer, will present Migrare, a multimedia dance and film that chronicles
By Dave Marr
the program. Scholarship recipients also benefit from academic support in the form of tutoring, workshops, academic coaching and more. “To make the UGA experience more accessible for future generations of Bulldogs is truly special,” said Brennan Cox, UGA Interfraternity Council president. “At the onset of our term, we challenged ourselves to be campus leaders—not just fraternity leaders—and this is our commitment to doing just that.” As a major component of the Commit to Georgia Campaign’s effort to remove barriers for students, the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program has been a critical element of UGA’s fundraising success over the past two years. To find out how to contribute to that success, visit give.uga.edu/georgia-commitment.
Dance department’s CORE Contemporary Pulitzer-winning writer to visit UGA for Phinizy Lecture, Global Georgia and Aerial Dance 2020 set for Feb. 27-29 davemarr@uga.edu
Submitted photo
CORE Contemporary and Aerial Dance will include work on silks, slings, lyras, trapeze and bungee cords.
personal experiences while working with immigrant dance artists who fled countries in political crisis and migrated to countries that have welcomed them. Vi rc ha ’s p resen tation depicts his journey to France, Jordan, Greece and his homeland, Costa Rica, where he witnessed the process of cultural extension from native countries who host immigrants and participate in the emergence of an expressive art form that is nourished by newly established artistic communities in these centralized locations. In Migrare, refugee artists are brought together to convey means of which creative work responds to the political situations and other devastating
events; portrays the challenges of living in their new environment; and raises the question “What happens when a culture disperses?” Tickets are $16 for general admission or $12 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit the Tate Student Center cashier’s window or the Performing Arts Center box office, call 706-542-4400 or visit pac.uga.edu. Tickets are also available for purchase at the door beginning at 7 p.m. each evening of the concert. Student groups who can make a one-time purchase of eight or more student tickets will receive a group rate of $5 per ticket. Advanced ticket purchase to all shows is highly recommended.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright will speak on “The Future of Terrorism” as the Ferdinand Phinizy Lecture of the history department on Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. in the UGA Chapel. The lecture is presented in partnership with the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, as part of the Global Georgia Initiative public event series, and with the School of Public and International Affairs and the Center for International Trade and Security. The event is also part of UGA’s spring 2020 Signature Lectures series. Wright, a staff writer for The New Yorker, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction for The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (2006), which won numerous other awards including being named by Time magazine as one of the 100 best nonfiction books ever written. Among his other books are Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief (2013), The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State (2016) and God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State (2018). Wright’s 2006 one-man play My Trip to Al Qaeda was adapted by Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney for a 2010 HBO documentary, and Wright co-produced Gibney’s Emmy-winning documentary based on Going Clear for the network in 2015.Wright, Gibney and Dan Futterman co-created a 2018 drama series for Hulu based on The Looming Tower. The Phinizy Lectureship was established and endowed by Dr. Ferdinand Phinizy Calhoun Sr. of Atlanta, UGA Class of 1900, as a memorial to his grandfather,
Ferdinand Phinizy II of Athens. B. Phinizy Spalding, a descendant of the lecture’s namesake and professor of history at UGA, organized the lectureship for more than 25 years, bringLawrence Wright ing nationally recognized speakers in the sciences, arts and politics to the university. John Spalding, a former chair of the UGA Foundation who holds degrees in history and law from the university, represents the Phinizy family on the committee that now programs the lectureship. “The committee was looking for someone with cross-disciplinary appeal who could speak with authority on a timely topic,” Spalding said. “Lawrence Wright, being a leading expert on Middle Eastern affairs, seemed like the perfect fit. We hope students and faculty from across UGA will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and attend the Phinizy Lecture.” The Global Georgia Initiative presents global problems in local context by addressing pressing contemporary questions, including the economy, society and the environment, with a focus on how the arts and humanities can intervene. The series is made possible by the support of private individuals and the Willson Center Board of Friends. UGA Signature Lectures feature speakers noted for their broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. Many of the lectures are supported by endowments, while others honor notable figures and milestones in the university’s history.
INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS
columns.uga.edu Feb. 24, 2020
‘Unheard stories’
Digest
Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant provides storytelling platform for UGA’s black alumni
University of Virginia professor to give CED lecture on Feb. 26
By Sarah Freeman freemans@uga.edu
Looking back on the history of the first black students at the University of Georgia will bring up names like Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early. While these trailblazers built the foundation for integration at the University of Georgia, there are many more black students throughout the 1960s and 1970s who paved the way for the diverse culture that UGA students have today, but little is known of their stories. That is changing thanks in part to the Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant, established by Hunter-Gault and her husband, Ron Gault. Through the Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant, a team from the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library has started the Black Alumni Oral History Project. The project is collecting personal recollections from black students so they can share and document their oral histories and their time at UGA. The project is directed by Steven Armour, a librarian at the Hargrett Library, who said the project was inspired by an interview that Hunter-Gault conducted in 2017 with the first three black students admitted to UGA as freshmen—Mary Diallo, Kerry Rushin Miller and Harold Black. Holmes, Hunter-Gault and Early all entered UGA after their freshman year. “It got me thinking about all of the other unheard stories and unknown names associated with black struggle on campus in the 1960s and ’70s,” Armour said. “I was very excited when I discovered the Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant program because its scope is a great match for this project. It’s also a grant for students, and it felt like a project ripe for an ambitious student interviewer.” That student interviewer was Ashley Carter, a fourth-year journalism student from Grady College who has conducted the first three interviews for the UGA Black Alumni Oral History Project with Ben Rucker, Janis Ware and Nawanna Lewis Miller. “Above all else, this fund has allowed people to identify their stories, stories that matter,” said Carter of her experience. “Many who I have interviewed have said, ‘You are the first person who has asked me about my
Sarah Freeman
Giving Voice to the Voiceless grant recipient Ashley Carter presents her project.
experience at UGA.’ ” Armour and the University of Georgia Alumni Association were instrumental in identifying and finding the initial participants in the oral history, and word of mouth has attracted others. After initial research, Carter met with each to record their recollections from their time at UGA. While some of the recollections are memories of forging new paths, other stories reflect a continued culture change on campus with stories of racism, bias and protests in classrooms, residence halls and around campus. All the interviews focus on student life: where the students lived, what groups were they involved with like the Black Student Union and the many struggles they faced with being among the first black students on campus. Miller, a pastor, recalls seeing news footage of Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter integrating UGA and her determination to attend school here. She entered as a freshman in 1969, just eight years after Holmes and Hunter entered UGA. “The impact of their integration and what they went through made me want to go there,” said Miller, who graduated from the same high school, Henry McNeal Turner High School in Atlanta, as Early, Holmes and Hunter
did. She recalls when she arrived, there were just over 19,000 students but only 10 black students who entered UGA that same year. The legacy of such a project does not fall lightly on Carter, and she is grateful for the personal awareness the project has brought her. “Being involved with this project has helped me grow personally,” Carter said. “Hearing these stories has made me a lot more enlightened, more awakened. “It’s something special to sit in a room with someone else who had it so much harder. It makes you realize you are exactly where you need to be, and that others worked hard to make sure that I am here,” Carter said. Carter graduates in May, but she plans to conduct a few more interviews this semester before handing off the baton to someone else to continue. “This is something that I hope lives on forever.These are stories that deserve to be told,” she said. In the meantime, the voices and lessons continue playing in Carter’s ears, and she is grateful for the path these black students paved for her 40 and 50 years ago. Interviews for the UGA Black Alumni Oral History Project can be viewed by visiting https://tinyurl.com/ rzrgpgd.
COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH CENTER
Researchers study how cranberry juice can prevent UTIs By Allyson Mann tiny@uga.edu
Cranberries are considered a folk remedy for the prevention of urinary tract infections. Now a team of researchers including scientists at the University of Georgia think they know why. UGA scientists, working with colleagues at the University of Mississippi, provided crucial information in the discovery of a class of oligosaccharides—a type of complex carbohydrate—that may help explain the effectiveness of cranberry for preventing urinary tract infections. The discovery of these compounds in urine may lead to future research on the cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits of soluble dietary fibers from many plants. Until now, it hasn’t been clear how cranberry consumption prevents the adhesion of bacteria,and therefore infection, in the urinary tract.The prevailing theory
has long credited a type of micronutrient called proanthocyanidins, but analyses performed at UGA’s Complex Carbohydrate Research Center helped identify a type of soluble dietary fiber related to cellulose called an arabinoxyloglucan oligosaccharide. Christina Coleman, lead author on the study, spent several years searching unsuccessfully for proanthocyanidins in the urine of cranberry-fed pigs. She performed the research as a Ph.D. student at the University of Mississippi and ended up isolating a compound that she could determine was a complex carbohydrate, but which she didn’t have the tools to fully identify. She turned to CCRC scientists Parastoo Azadi and Ian Black, co-authors on the study, for help. Their specialized skills in carbohydrate chemistry, along with the advanced analytical resources available at the CCRC, enabled them to elucidate the structure of the material
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Coleman had isolated. “We analyze carbohydrates from a variety of sources—plants, bacteria, drug products—for scientists, industry and research institutes,” said Azadi. “In this case, the researcher had isolated an oligosaccharide from a urine sample but had limited amounts and needed specialized analyses. We provided the structure of the oligosaccharide, which allowed us to identify it as an arabinoxyloglucan.” With the reliable structural data provided by the CCRC team, Coleman was subsequently able to identify an entire series of related arabinoxyloglucan oligosaccharides in her porcine urine sample. These findings address a gap in knowledge with regard to the significance of oligosaccharides in urine, according to Coleman. The study was published in the Journal of Natural Products and was named an editor’s choice article by the American Chemical Society.
The College of Environment and Design will welcome Timothy Beatley for a lecture titled “Biophilic Cities: Design for Planetary Health and Human Flourishing” on Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. in lecture hall 123 of the Jackson Street Building. Open free to the public, the lecture is supported by the Seymour Fund. Beatley is the Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities in the urban and environmental planning department in the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia, where he has taught for the last 25 years. Much of Beatley’s work focuses on the subject of sustainable communities and creative strategies by which cities and towns can fundamentally reduce their ecological footprints, while at the same time becoming more livable and equitable places. Beatley believes that sustainable and resilient cities represent the best hope for addressing today’s environmental challenges. He is the author or co-author of more than 15 books on these subjects, including Green Urbanism: Learning from European Cities (recently translated into Chinese), Habitat Conservation Planning, Native to Nowhere: Sustaining Home and Community in a Global Age and Planning for Coastal Resilience.
Georgia Museum of Art wins GAM award for ‘Richard Hunt: Synthesis’
The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia received the award for exhibition of the year at the Georgia Association of Museums Conference for the exhibition Richard Hunt: Synthesis. The conference was held Jan. 26-29 in Columbus. In conjunction with the exhibition, museum staff created an array of public programming, including a program for toddlers and their caregivers, a Teen Studio, numerous public tours, a Family Day attended by hundreds of people as part of UGA’s Spotlight on the Arts festival, a screening of the documentary Richard Hunt: Sculptor and a public conversation with the artist. The exhibition also served as the basis for the museum’s fifth-grade tour program, as part of Experience UGA, allowing all fifth-grade students in the Clarke County School District to tour it and participate in a hands-on sculpture project designed to facilitate STEAM learning. The Georgia Association of Museums is a private, nonprofit museum and gallery association dedicated to serving and maintaining a diverse membership of museums across the state. It establishes a responsive network, serves as a resource base and promotes professionalism to uplift the Georgia museum community.
Ph.D. candidate receives NIH fellowship
Hannah Stephen, a Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry and molecular biology, has received the F30 Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The fellowship provides $166,000 over four years to support Stephen’s research on the mutation of the O-GIcNAc Transferase enzyme and its underlying effect on the X-Linked Intellectual Disability disorder. XLID, which occurs predominantly in males, can cause low IQ and developmental delays. Stephen’s research has the potential to not only lead to therapeutic options for XLID, but to also expand veterinary medicine. This fellowship also will provide a travel allowance, which Stephen plans to use this summer, to help enhance her research. Stephen works in the laboratory of Lance Wells, a professor in the biochemistry and molecular biology department of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
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For a complete listing of events at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the web (calendar.uga.edu/). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
UGAGUIDE
EXHIBITIONS
Beautiful and Brutal: Georgia Bulldogs Football, 2017. Through Feb. 28. Rotunda Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-6170. hasty@uga.edu. Master, Pupil, Follower: 16th- to 18th-Century Italian Works on Paper. Through March 8. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Rachel Whiteread. Through March 8. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Hye Kyung Han. Through March 8. Visitor Center, Great Room, State Botanical Garden of Georgia. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu. Material Georgia 1733-1900: Two Decades of Scholarship. Through March 15. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. The Monsters Are Due on Broad Street: Patrick Dean. Through March 29. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
Kevin Cole: Soul Ties. Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Reflecting on Rembrandt: 500 Years of Etching Through April 19. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection. Through May 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Experiencing Cortona: Celebrating 50 Years of UGA Study
UGA Theatre welcomes spring in style, class and hypocrisy with next show By Shanon Weaver
shanonweaver@uga.edu
UGA Theatre presents Vanity Fair, Kate Hamill’s adaptation of the 1848 William Makepeace Thackeray novel, directed by David Saltz, Feb. 25-29 at 8 p.m., and March 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the Cellar Theatre of the Fine Arts Building at 225 Baldwin St. Tickets are $16 and $12 for UGA students and can be purchased online at ugatheatre.com/ vanityfair, via phone at 706-542-4400 or in person at the Performing Arts Center. In Vanity Fair, two women—one born into privilege, another from the streets—attempt to navigate a society that punishes them for every misstep. Clever Becky Sharp is not afraid to break the rules; soft-hearted Amelia Sedley is too scared to bend them. Both strive for what they want, but neither can thrive without the other. Thackarey’s novel, a bestseller in the 19th century, has been adapted often for stage and screen, most recently as an Amazon Prime mini-series. “Kate Hamill’s adaptation is far and away my favorite,” said Saltz, professor and head of the theatre and film studies department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “It provides a fascinating glimpse of 19th century culture and mores that at the same time feels completely fresh, edgy and contemporary.” Hamill is renowned for her vibrant adaptations of 19th century novels featuring strong female characters, such as Sense and Sensibility and Little Women. For three years running, the playwright has been among the top 10 most widely produced playwrights in the U.S. Her adaptation of Vanity Fair premiered in 2017 with Hamill herself playing Becky. Hamill embraces the theatricality of Thackeray’s novel, placing the story in the hands of a theatre troupe for a “play within a play.” Saltz and his design team stage the play as a street performance in present-day Britain that takes place in front the façade of a Regency-era building, something that appealed to second-year MFA scenic designer Samantha Kuchta. “Combining the historic character of the Regency period with the more current elements of a traveling troupe of actors, my aim was to visually mirror the strength and movement portrayed most heavily in the characters of Becky and Amelia,” Kutcha said. “Taking note of silhouette, we have created costumes that speak to a period rather than portraying it with 100% accuracy because we are playing in a space that is not all one moment in time,” said Rachael Karas, a first-year MFA costume designer. “For Vanity Fair, the creative team wanted to play in a fluid time space as our actors tell this incredibly relatable story.” The show also features media projection, helmed by Ph.D. student Anna Corbould, and lighting by first-year MFA lighting designer Haley Brown. “The power of theater is the transformation from the mundane to the extraordinary, and the players in Vanity Fair are leading their audience through that transformation,” Brown said. “By shifting the ambiance from busy England streets to the imaginary world the acting troupe is creating through their storytelling, the lighting will enhance the experience and help shape the world they are inhabiting.”
Abroad. Through May 29. Hargrett Library Gallery, Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries. 706-583-0213. jhebbard@uga.edu. The Strategies of Suffrage: Mobilizing a Nation for Women’s Rights. Through July 2. Hargrett Library Gallery, Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries. 706-583-0213. jhebbard@uga.edu. Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome. Through Aug. 23. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Paving the Road to Progress: Georgia Interstate Highways. Through Aug. 31. Russell Gallery, Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.
MONDAY, FEB. 24 WORKSHOP “Promotion and Tenure Dossier Preparation” will provide instructions on the assembly of promotion and tenure dossiers and tips for avoiding problems that weaken dossiers. Facilitator: Sarah Covert. 9 a.m. Room C, Training and Development Center. mary.carney@uga.edu. MEN’S TENNIS vs. Florida Atlantic. 2:30 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. ANIMAL VOICES FILM FESTIVAL Bird of Prey tells the story of the world’s largest and rarest eagle. Discussion will be led by Richard Hall, an assistant professor in UGA’s Odum School of Ecology and infectious diseases department in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Sponsored by Speak Out for Species and Sustainable UGA as part of the Animal Voices Film Festival. 7 p.m. 350 Miller Learning Center. 706-224-3796. sos@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, FEB. 25 FACULTY PERSPECTIVES Ben Ehlers, associate professor of history at UGA, will give a gallery talk about the exhibition Master, Pupil, Follower: 16th- to 18th-Century Italian Works on Paper focusing on the historical context of the time period. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. MARY FRANCES EARLY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION NAMING CEREMONY AND LECTURE As the first African American graduate of the University of Georgia, Mary Frances Early’s impact as a civil rights icon and music educator endures. The naming of the Mary Frances Early College of Education was approved by the board of regents on Oct. 16, 2019. To celebrate this occasion, Albany State University President Marion Ross Fedrick will deliver the 20th annual Mary Frances Early Lecture, named in honor of Early by UGA’s Graduate and Professional Scholars. 2 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center.
Next Faculty Artist Series concert features ‘Jewels of the Romantic Era’ By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu
Levon Ambartsumian, Franklin Professor of Violin, will perform his Faculty Artist Series concert March 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Ramsey Hall. His program, “Jewels of the Romantic Era,” features works of the Schumanns and their circle. “This concert is all about the Schumann family—Robert Levon himself, his wife and fantastic Ambartsumian pianist Clara and Johannes Brahms, who was a very close friend, almost a member of their family,” said Ambartsumian. Joining him on the stage will be professor of piano Evgeny Rivkin, Ambartsumian’s lifelong friend and music partner. Included in their program is a selection of short pieces composed for different instruments performed on violin, most famously Schumann’s “Violin Sonata.” “Marchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) Op. 113” was originally composed for viola and piano. “Fantasie—Stucke Op. 73” were pieces intended for clarinet but later became an important part of viola and cello repertoire, and very rarely performed on violin. “Drei Romanzen Op. 94,” also known as the “Three Romances,” was originally written for oboe and piano and is the only piece Robert Schumann ever wrote for oboe. “What makes this program really unique is a combination of well known compositions, almost unknown as violin works, and Brahms’ ‘Adagio’ from a clarinet quintet,” said Ambartsumian. Ambartsumian’s friend, Russian composer Efrem Podgaits, composed this arrangement of the “Adagio” for him. It will be the American premiere of Podgait’s transcription for violin and piano. Ambartsumian and Rivkin will be taking the same program to Moscow later this year and have also recently released a CD with music by Mendelssohn and Chausson on the Centaur label. Tickets for the performance are $12 for adults and $3 for students and children, and are available through the Performing Arts Center. They can be purchased online at pac.uga.edu, by calling 706-542-4400 or in person at the box office.
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
columns.uga.edu Feb. 24, 2020
4&5
MEN’S TENNIS vs. Mercer. 2:30 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. BASEBALL vs. Kennesaw State. $8. 5 p.m. Foley Field. SOFTBALL vs. Alabama State. 6 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26 ASH WEDNESDAY Christian religious observance. COFFEE AND CONNECTIONS Provost S. Jack Hu invites faculty and staff to participate in Coffee and Connections networking events. Vice presidents, deans and other administrators from across campus are invited to attend, as well. These informal networking events are a chance for faculty and staff to build connections with members of the university’s leadership team and among each other. Information and sign-up at https://provost.uga.edu/newsevents/events/coffee_connections/. 10 a.m. Studio 225. 706-583-0506. willr@uga.edu. WORKSHOP Participants in “Maintaining Effective Communication in Mentoring” will hone their communication skills in the context of mentoring in such areas as active listening, effective feedback, bridging differences and appropriate boundaries. Facilitators: Casey Anne Graham and Kaori Sakamoto. 1 p.m. Room C, Training and Development Center. mary.carney@uga.edu. CONCERT The Vienna Piano Trio was founded in 1988 by the Viennese pianist Stefan Mendl. His partners are the California violinist David McCarroll, a member of the trio since 2015, and the Austrian cellist Clemens Hagen, who joined in 2018. $35-$55; $10 for students. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. ugaarts@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, FEB. 27 WORKSHOP “Academic Professional Promotion Guidelines” will provide tips for navigating the revised promotion guidelines for academic professionals and will include an overview of the application process, dossier and timeline. Facilitator: Sarah Covert with an invited panel. 10 a.m. Room C, Training and Development Center. mary.carney@uga.edu. BLACK HISTORY MONTH FILM SERIES: ‘SELMA’ Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant, making it very difficult for black people to register to vote. In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., portrayed in the film by actor David Oyelowo, and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated in President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 2014, PG-13, 128 min. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
FRIDAY, FEB. 28 MIDTERM For spring semester. WORKSHOP In the keynote address “Increasing Student Success with Writing Across the Disciplines,” Write@UGA featured speaker Cristyn Elder will present data on writing as a high-impact tool for learning across the disciplines, describe effective writing activities and assessment tools for large and small enrollment classes for both general education and courses in the major, and offer strategies for reducing faculty time spent responding to writing while still offering effective feedback. 10 a.m. 350 Miller Learning Center. lharding@uga.edu. PANEL DISCUSSION Faculty from across campus will discuss existing programs and initiatives designed to support student writing at every level, challenges and roadblocks at large institutions and opportunities for developing more comprehensive support for writing in every field for all students and faculty. Lunch is provided. This panel discussion will be moderated by Write@UGA featured speaker Cristyn Elder. 11:30 a.m. 350 Zell B. Miller Learning Center. lharding@uga.edu.
The UGA Symphony Orchestra’s next performance will include works by Ludwig von Beethoven and Gustav Mahler.
UGA Symphony Orchestra to perform Feb. 28 concert By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu
Join the Hugh Hodgson School of Music UGA Symphony Orchestra for a Friday night concert of two of music’s most celebrated symphonists, Ludwig von Beethoven and Gustav Mahler in Hodgson Hall on Feb. 28. The orchestra will be taking on both Beethoven’s and Mahler’s first symphonies; “Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21” by Beethoven and “Symphony No.1 in D Major, Titan” by Mahler. “Beethoven’s first carries on the tradition of his predecessors before he goes on his own way. Mahler, on the other hand, revolutionized the form from the very beginning, creating his own, very unique sound,” said Mark Cedel, director of orchestral activities. The last time the UGASO performed Beethoven’s first was November 1995 for the dedication and opening concert of Hodgson Concert Hall. The symphony premiered in Vienna in 1800, which marked a change in music of the time, as Beethoven began adding his own unique style on the classical styles. The innovations in LECTURE “Music, Black Feminism and the Transatlantic: Black Brazilian Artists, Affirmation, Critique and Experimentation in the 21st Century,” Lesley Feracho, Romance languages and African American studies. Part of the Women’s Studies Friday Speaker Series. 12:20 p.m. 150 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846. tlhat@uga.edu. MEN’S TENNIS vs. Tennessee. 2:30 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. TOUR OF HISTORIC BLACK ATHENS Join Broderick Flanigan, local artist and historian, for a tour of historic black Athens. The tour will conclude at Dawg Gone Good BBQ for a meal (around 4:30 p.m.). RSVP to history@uga.edu. Presented in conjunction with Black History Month and sponsored by the history department. 3 p.m. 706-542-2053. GEORGE S. PARTHEMOS LECTURE “Whitewashing: How Obama Used Implicit Racial Cues as a Defense Against Political Rumors,” Vincent L. Hutchings, Hanes Walton Jr. Collegiate Professor and Research Professor, University of Michigan. 3:30 p.m. 480 Baldwin Hall. SOFTBALL vs. Eastern Illinois. 3:30 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. CINEMA ROUNDTABLE One critic argues that every film adaptation of Little Women acts as a sort of Rorschach test for representations of women during that era. If so, what does Greta Gerwig’s new version say about notions of gender and family today? Panelists include Antje Ascheid, theatre and film studies; Roxanne Eberle and Jed Rasula, English department; and Kate Fortmueller, entertainment and media studies. Richard Neupert, film studies, moderates. 4 p.m. Balcony Theatre, Fine Arts Building. neupert@uga.edu.
Dreamers’ Circus coming to Athens on first U.S. tour By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
UGA Presents is bringing the award-winning Danish folk trio Dreamers’ Circus to Athens on Feb. 29 for a 7:30 p.m. performance in Hodgson Concert Hall. A driving force in the Nordic world music, Dreamers’ Circus is making its first visit to the U.S. Dreamers’ Circus draws inspiration from the music of Denmark and Sweden as well as Iceland and the far reaches of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The ensemble has won five Danish Music Awards and has toured throughout Europe, Japan and Australia. The trio has shared the stage with the Copenhagen Philharmonic, the BBC Scottish Orchestra and The Chieftains, among others. The members of Dreamers’ Circus are Denmark’s Nikolaj Busk on piano and accordion, Sweden’s Ale Carr on Nordic cittern and Danish violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, who founded and also performs with the critically acclaimed Danish String Quartet. Tickets for Dreamers’ Circus start at $25 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office,
BASEBALL vs. Georgia Tech. $8. 5 p.m. Foley Field. BLACK HISTORY MONTH DINNER AND AWARDS CELEBRATION This dinner and awards ceremony features the presentation of the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Award and Lillian C. Lynch Citation. Sponsorship opportunities begin with a commitment of $500 and include ticket and marketing benefits, based upon sponsor level. Email jointhemuseum@uga.edu or call 706-542-4662 for sponsorship opportunities and more information. $55-$85. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. SOFTBALL vs. Boston College. 6 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. GYMNASTICS vs Florida. $10. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
SATURDAY, FEB. 29 WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. Tennessee. Noon. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. SOFTBALL vs. Boston College. 1 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. SOFTBALL vs. Western Carolina. 3:30 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Arkansas. $15. 6 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
SUNDAY, MARCH 1 SOFTBALL vs. Western Carolina. 1 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Florida. $5. 1:10 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. MEN’S TENNIS vs. Ohio State. 2 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
MONDAY, MARCH 2 UGA I-CORPS SPRING 2020 SHOWCASE UGA I-Corps is the NSF-funded program to give UGA teams (faculty, students and community) the training and funds needed to begin understanding the value they might provide to customers. Several teams in Cohort 8 will be ready to talk about their ventures. Registration is requested. 5:30 p.m. Room 130 (Critique Space), Jackson Street Building.
COMING UP Dreamers’ Circus brings Nordic music to Athens during a Feb. 29 concert.
online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets are available to current UGA students for $10 with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student). Hodgson Concert Hall is located in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road in Athens.
TO SUBMIT A LISTING FOR THE MASTER CALENDAR AND COLUMNS Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edu/). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.
this work are evident from the harmonic suspense of the opening, to the energetic theme of the first and a contrasting lyrical second theme, which features the woodwinds more prominently. The UGASO will be performing works of Beethoven in many upcoming performances to celebrate 250 years of Beethoven. Mahler’s “Titan” symphony follows the arc of the hero’s journey, which ultimately ends in victory as the symphony ends with an epic chorale theme. “Composing is like building blocks, where new buildings are created again and again, using the same blocks. Indeed, these blocks have been there, ready to be used, since childhood, the only time that is designed for gathering,” the composer said. The Mahler symphony will be the final recital requirement for Jean Gómez, the orchestra’s assistant conductor and DMA candidate. Tickets for the concert are $12 for adults and $3 for UGA students and are available at pac.uga.edu. Live-streaming will be available at music.uga.edu/ live-streaming. The concert is set for 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall in the UGA Performing Arts Center. For more information about the UGASO and other events, visit music.uga.edu.
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga.edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
WORKSHOP March 3. Join this workshop featuring Mary Lynn Realff, who leads the Effective Team Dynamics initiative at Georgia Tech, and Ruth Poproski, associate director for teaching and learning. They’ll share tools for preventing and managing barriers to effective teamwork, strategies and frameworks for inspiring feedback through peer evaluation and an array of approaches to creating rich learning experiences for students through their participation in team-based projects. 9:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355. jamie.adair@uga.edu.
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES March 4 (for March 16 issue) March 11 (for March 23 issue) March 18 (March 30 issue)
6 Feb. 24, 2020 columns.uga.edu
Dr. David M. DeJoy, professor emeritus, was recently honored with the Lifetime Career Achievement Award by the American Psychological Association at the 2019 Work, Stress and Health conference. The award honors researchers and practitioners whose careers are characterized by a series of distinguished contributions that have significantly advanced the field of occupational health psychology. A psychologist by training, David DeJoy DeJoy retired from UGA’s College of Public Health in 2010, where he devoted his career to understanding how to improve workers’ overall well-being. Zoned in the USA: The Origins and Implications of American Land-Use Regulation, by UGA College of Environment and Design Dean Sonia Hirt, was designated as one of the top 14 books in urban planning of the decade (2009-2019). The list was created by Planetizen, the only U.S. urban planning platform that ranks urban planning programs as well as books in urbanism and urban planning. Hirt’s book explores the history and present Sonia Hirt state of U.S. urban planning regulations as compared to those of other select nations. In 2016, Planetizen included the book in its annual top 10 list. Catherine Jones, professor of French and Provençal in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ Romance languages department, was named a Chevalier d’ Ordre des Palmes académiques, a national order bestowed by the French Republic to distinguished academics and figures in the world of culture and education. Originally established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon as a decoration to honor eminent members of the University of Paris, it was changed into its current form as an order of merit in 1955. Jones is a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and author of The Noble Merchant: Problems of Genre and Lineage in Hervis de Mes (North Carolina, 1993), Philippe de Vigneulles and the Art of Prose Translation (Boydell & Brewer, 2008) and An Introduction to the “Chansons de Geste” (University Press of Florida, 2014). Joe West, assistant dean at UGA’s Tifton campus, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show, held Jan. 16 at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. The Distinguished Service Award honors professionals who have made important contributions to Georgia’s peanut and agriculture industries. Each year, the winner of this award is selected by Georgia Peanut Commission Board Joe West members and the Farm Show committee from submitted nominations. West will retire from UGA on Feb. 29 after a 34-year career at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. During his 12 years as assistant dean, West spearheaded extensive capital improvements on the front campus, including the renovations of the Tift and Agriculture Research buildings and the construction of the Centennial Garden as part of the campus’s 100-year celebration in 2019. Kudos recognizes special contributions of staff, faculty and administrators in teaching, research and service. News items are limited to election into office of state, regional, national and international societies; major awards and prizes; and similarly notable accomplishments.
FACULTY PROFILE
Joseph Watson Jr. teaches about public advocacy, issues management and shaping public opinion in political contexts.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Grady College professor’s professional path shaped by his personal heroes By Sarah Freeman freemans@uga.edu
According to Joseph Watson Jr., to understand a person, one has to understand who his heroes are and who he admires. Watson, who spends his days teaching about public advocacy, issues management and shaping public opinion in political contexts, focuses on the ideals of individuals who have helped guide his professional path. “Encouraging civility and civil discourse are my true motives,” Watson said, explaining not only what guides him, but also what characterizes his heroes. He is proud that his list of heroes is bipartisan and includes Mother Teresa, William F. Buckley Jr., Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., among others. And then there are material nods to his other heroes, including his penchant for bow ties, a tribute to the late Democratic Sen. Pat Moynihan, and his black, horn-rimmed glasses modeled after those worn by Atticus Finch in the film To Kill a Mockingbird. It was Watson’s father who planted the seed of a career related to politics at an early age. Watson grew up in a household where his father, a union steelworker, followed Democratic politics and regularly watched shows like Meet the Press on television. An ideology class in college led him to reexamine his political leanings, with a new fascination for conservatives like
former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and later, former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp. It was also during this time that Watson started tutoring students in economics and realized the satisfaction that comes from teaching. “I am most comfortable prepping others,” Watson said. “I like working behind the scenes, and I get a natural high from working with young people to help them achieve their goals.” Two years out of law school, Watson began working on Capitol Hill where he served as the legislative director for Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, which led to an appointment working on internet policy in the George W. Bush administration. A move to the private sector in 2005 brought him to Exelon, a Fortune 100 energy company, where he ultimately served as the director of public advocacy. Three years ago, the urge to teach returned to Watson, and he left Exelon to serve as the Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications. The Public Affairs Professional Certificate program is offered in partnership with the School of Public and International Affairs and is the first of its kind in the country, offering an education that promotes a holistic combination of political science, journalism and public relations courses for undergraduates. Watson also relishes the special topics courses he teaches, including one on civil rights and his current class on the
FACTS
Joseph Watson Jr.
Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications Department of Advertising and Public Relations Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication J.D., Harvard University School of Law, 1997 B.S., Political Science, Bradley University,
1994
At UGA: Three years
women’s rights movement taught for the centennial of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. “Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony used public affairs communications to achieve their objectives and create an environment where those laws were passed,” he said. “I teach my students to use those same tools.” Watson also directs the intensive Grady D.C. program each summer where students live in Delta Hall while working full-time internships and taking an online class. “One of the most important lessons I can teach is how to renormalize bipartisan relationships and friendships,” Watson said. “It’s important at an early age for students to get comfortable with people they may not see eye to eye with and have meaningful conversations.”
OFFICE OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
Faculty member named recipient of 2020 Richard Reiff Award By Stacey Casuccio
stacey.casuccio@uga.edu
Jane McPherson, a faculty member in the School of Social Work, is the recipient of the 2020 Richard Reiff Internationalization Award. Presented by the Office of Global Engagement, the Reiff Award honors a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who has made major contributions to the overall internationalization of the University of Georgia. The award honors Reiff, the former executive director of the Office of International Education at the University System of Georgia, former chair of the international committee of USG and past president of NAFSA/ Association of International Educators. An assistant professor at the School of Social Work, McPherson also is the
school’s director of global engagement. A licensed clinical social worker, she uses her research and teaching to reframe social work as a human rights practice. Prior to Jane McPherson receiving her doctorate and joining the UGA faculty in 2015, McPherson practiced social work with migrants and survivors of torture in the U.S. and previously spent six years practicing in Egypt. McPherson’s work supports UGA’s global mission in multiple ways. She co-created an interdisciplinary, women’s health-focused StudyAway program to bring students to Grenada, West Indies,
over spring break 2019, and brought Ph.D. students to Croatia for a learning exchange that culminated in a peerreviewed publication by the group. She has developed international partnerships between the School of Social Work and peer institutions in Grenada and Brazil. Her own research and training engage partners in Portugal, Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia,Albania, China, Brazil and Israel. “Dr. McPherson believes in generating positive change in student learning and research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” said Noel Fallows, associate provost for international education in the Office of Global Engagement. “She has taught many courses globally, and under her leadership, the international portfolio of the School of Social Work has expanded greatly to its current strength.”
2020 PRESIDENT’S FULFILLING THE DREAM AWARD
columns.uga.edu Feb. 24, 2020
7
2020 PRESIDENT’S FULFILLING THE DREAM AWARD
Andrew Davis Tucker
Caleb Kelly, center, is especially proud of his work as an orientation leader and discovery counselor for Dawg Camp Extended Orientation.
Dream Award winner broadens horizons by working with diverse communities
By Victoria Vanhuss
victoria.vanhuss@uga.edu
Caleb Kelly grew up as a member of his church’s first family. In his words, it wasn’t a bad gig. He was showered with love from the congregation and learned how to work a room. Regardless, he got a kick out the role reversal at the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast. Kelly, a third-year sport management student in the College of Education,was one of five recipients of the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award, which recognizes those who honor King’s legacy. As Kelly was introducing his parents to his mentors and peers, he realized that, at least on campus, he’s not just “Pastor Kelly’s son.” Kelly has made a name for himself at UGA, mostly through his involvement with an array of leadership organizations. As a freshman, he took part in the Black Male Leadership Society and the Accidentals, an a capella group on campus. Going into his second year, he developed his passion for minority recruitment by serving with the Georgia African American Male Experience. Having been recruited by GAAME himself, he was interested in sharing his experiences with the black community. “It was life changing as far as how much purpose I felt,’’ said Kelly. “I enjoy building relationships and making someone else smile. I loved making those guys feel good about themselves, and I realized that I didn’t just want to use that in GAAME. I wanted to do that for all people.” This awareness led him to pursue opportunities with more diverse communities. Out of all the organizations he has been a part of, he’s especially proud of his time as a 2019 summer orientation leader and discovery counselor for Dawg Camp Extended Orientation for incoming UGA freshmen. “The whole summer, I just woke up thinking about how I could make someone’s day better and how I could give to someone
else,” Kelly said. “It was the hardest job I’ve ever done—but also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done—and it’s something that will affect me for the rest of my life.” To be sure, these positions didn’t come without their challenges. “There are a lot of tough conversations to be had as an orientation leader,” Kelly said. “Being a black man talking to a room full of white people about diversity and equality [was difficult]. It was about teaching them that privilege can be a good thing if you acknowledge it and use it to help someone else.” Orientation wasn’t his first time working with a division of the university. Kelly also has served as an ambassador for the College of Education and in two different roles for University Housing. Currently, he’s training to be a tour guide for the UGA Visitors Center. He’s excited to showcase the university and share his story. “My boss has us watching TED Talks,” said Kelly. “He’s training us to be good people and good leaders.Only 20% of the people who tour end up enrolling at UGA. What we want to do is give them an honest, genuine experience and share information that’s valuable to them in the long term.” Kelly understands the weight of a single interaction and said that he wants everyone who interacts with him, whether on a tour or in passing, to feel welcome and appreciated. He credits this behavior to King’s teachings and is inspired to treat people with kindness. Kelly said that if he could talk with King over dinner, he would ask the civil rights leader for advice. “I would ask him how to love someone through disrespect, and how do you love someone through hate? I would also be very interested to hear his opinions on the current political climate,” Kelly said. As for what’s in store for Kelly, he’s not sure. Regardless of where he ends up, he knows that he will continue working with people, living King’s mission and inspiring people.
WEEKLY READER
Book spotlights responses to racial equity Lockheed has been one of America’s largest corporations and most important defense contractors from World War II to the present day (since 1995 as part of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company). During the postwar era, its executives enacted complicated business responses to demands by African Americans for equality. Based on the papers of a personnel executive, the memoir of an African American employee, interviews and company publications, Lockheed, Atlanta, and the Struggle for Racial Integration takes a look inside the corporate management of racial equity in a major American firm.Written by Randall L. Patton, a professor of history at Kennesaw State University, the book offers a unique Lockheed, Atlanta, and the Struggle for Racial Integration narrative history and inside perspective on the evolution of equal employment and Randall L. Patton affirmative action policies at Lockheed UGA Press Aircraft’s massive Georgia plant from the Hardback: $59.99 early 1950s through the early 1980s. Patton provides a rare, perhaps unique, account of African American struggle and management response, set within the context of the regional and national struggles for civil rights.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Sherontae Maxwell, center, assistant director of access programs in the Division of Academic Enhancement, talks with co-workers Bernard Green, left, and Latricia Gaston.
Staff Dream Award recipient gives voice to underrepresented students at UGA By Victoria Vanhuss
victoria.vanhuss@uga.edu
Sherontae Maxwell has dedicated her career to ensuring that students from disadvantaged backgrounds not only have a seat at the table, but also a voice. Maxwell is the assistant director of access programs in the Division of Academic Enhancement. In this capacity, she oversees six federally funded TRIO programs: Educational Talent Search, Ronald E. McNair PostBaccalaureate Achievement, Student Support Services, Upward Bound Math-Science and two classic Upward Bound programs. The programs identify and assist individuals from underserved communities, be it firstgeneration students, Pell grant-eligible students or students with a disability. Maxwell grew up in Savannah, where her love for serving others was born. She graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor’s degree in Program in Service-Learning and a minor in sociology. She continued her studies and received a master’s degree in social work from Savannah State University. Of the nearly 20 years that she has been involved with TRIO programs, 15 of them have been at UGA. In her current position, she works to improve and expand support to students, all while securing grant funding, managing a $6.5 million budget, acting as the liaison between the university and the U.S. Department of Education and building community relationships. Recently, Maxwell was awarded the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award for her dedication to creating a diverse and even playing field for underrepresented students. The ceremony, part of the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast, featured a display by local students who used artwork
and writing to discuss the importance and applications of King’s mission. For Maxwell, it served as a reminder that the work she does makes a difference in the community. “It was absolutely fantastic to see the students and hear their stories.They brought some of Dr. King’s teachings to life,” she said. “Our programs actually work with middle schools and high schools in Clarke County, so the video brought it all home, that students from all different backgrounds can come together and incorporate his messages into where we are now in 2020.” Maxwell experiences this same fulfillment working with older students, too. She recently worked with a college senior who was interested in pursuing a graduate degree. After speaking with her, Maxwell recommended that she stay a couple more semesters to raise her GPA and increase her chances of acceptance. “She transformed from a student who didn’t even know if graduate school was in the picture to a student who had her pick between schools,” Maxwell said. “Watching her have that opportunity has been a transformative process [for me too].” These are the moments that keep Maxwell fulfilled in her role with the Division of Academic Enhancement, but her passion for advocacy extends to her personal life and community work,too. Maxwell serves on numerous committees across campus. She has also held several leadership positions within various TRIO professional organizations as president of Georgia TRIO Programs, chairing numerous conferences, secretary for her regional association (SAEOPP) just to name a few.Additionally, she trainsTRIO professionals across the nation and regularly evaluates programs on best practices. She serves in a ministry role at her church, Emmanuel Community Church in Conyers.
CYBERSIGHTS
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8 Feb. 24, 2020 columns.uga.edu
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Photo courtesy of New York Bar
Pictured, from left, are John Lex Kenerly IV, Jonathan Kaufman, Joseph H. “Joe” Stuhrenberg and Douglas Young, president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, which sponsors the National Moot Court Competition.
“Our team combined talent, intellect and hard work to win this tournament, and I am very proud of them.” This championship marks the fourth time the UGA School of Law has won the National Moot Court Competition. “The efforts of our students—and of our coaches and law school faculty members Kellie Casey and Rob McNiff—have paid off wonderfully,” law school Dean Peter B.
INNOVATION
“Bo” Rutledge said. “Our focus at the School of Law is to provide our students with a first-rate legal training so they can become future leaders of state and society, and this win is proof that we are achieving that goal.” Each year, teams from more than 120 law schools across the nation compete in this contest, which is sponsored by the New York City Bar Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
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solutions to problems from a large segment of our global population earning less than $5 per day.” Kisaalita and other new Fellows were formally recognized Feb. 15 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the organization’s annual meeting in Seattle. “Dr. Kisaalita is a perfect example of how engineers positively impact the world by searching for solutions to our greatest challenges,” said Donald Leo, dean of the UGA College of Engineering. “He is an excellent teacher, a dedicated mentor and a creative researcher. I join the entire college in congratulating William on this well-deserved honor.” Kisaalita, a Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Engineering, teaches both undergraduate- and graduatelevel courses in the College of Engineering. He has received several awards for his teaching, research and service including the UGA President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award
(2016), the Lioba Moshi Award for Service in African Studies (2015), the UGA College of Engineering Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award (2015), the UGA College of Engineering Excellence in Instruction Award (2014), the USAID Powering Agriculture Award (2013) and the UGA Scholarship of Engagement Award (2008). He was named University Mentor of the Year for Undergraduate Research in 2004. Along with his teaching and research responsibilities, Kisaalita has served as the associate director of UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, and he is a faculty mentor for students in the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Kisaalita received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
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working on a service-learning project in the Athens community or, like Stuck, helping a company attain B Corp certification. “Letting these students know that they can bake purpose and impact into everything they do is important for us,” said Jake Mosley, director of student engagement for Terry’s Full-Time MBA and MSBA programs. And it’s the experiential learning that Stuck said became so critical to his career trajectory and newfound passion for socially responsible
businesses. Stuck is now co-founder and chair of B Local Georgia, which is trying to grow the B Corp movement in the state. “These projects give you a kind of crash course in how businesses work and their connection to their employees and their communities. It gives you the chance to open your eyes and realize that there are other opportunities out there if you want to seek them out,” Stuck said. “And, you never know, they might hire you.”
Bulletin Board Columns publication break
Columns will not be published March 9 because of spring break. Regular weekly publication will resume March 16. Send announcements for that issue to columns@uga.edu by 5 p.m. on March 4.
TEDxUGA registration
Registration for TEDxUGA 2020: Next Level is now open. The eighth annual celebration of ideas worth spreading will be held on March 27 at 7 p.m. at the Classic Center Theatre. Individuals may register for $20 or $30 with a T-shirt. For more information, visit TEDxUGA.com/register. Additional details will be shared with registrants via email.
Diabetes prevention program
UGA Well-being, in partnership with UGA Extension, will be offering a free diabetes prevention program, Prevent T2, on campus beginning March 17. To learn more about diabetes prevention, attend an awareness program on March 5 at noon at the Training & Development Center. Register for the session through the Professional Education Portal, pep.uga.edu. PreventT2 is a CDC-approved program that has proven to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. Participants in this program will work with a trained lifestyle coach to learn the skills they need to lose weight and make lasting changes.
To learn more, contact UGA Well-being at wellbeing@uga.edu or 706-542-7319 or Jackie Dallas, Clarke County Extension FACS Agent, at jdallas@uga.edu or 706-613-3640 You may have prediabetes and be at risk for Type 2 diabetes if you are 45 years of age or older, are overweight, have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, are physically active fewer than three times per week or ever had diabetes while pregnant.
WIP course proposals
The Franklin College Writing Intensive Program invites proposals from arts and sciences faculty in all disciplines for innovative courses that encourage writing. The Writing Intensive Program aims to enhance undergraduate education by emphasizing the importance of writing in the disciplines by offering “writing-intensive” courses throughout the college. Faculty who teach WIP courses are supported by a Writing Intensive Program teaching assistant, who is specially trained in writing-in-thedisciplines pedagogy. Visit www.wip. uga.edu to find proposal forms and guidelines, as well as information about the program. The deadline for proposal submissions is March 7. Direct questions to Lindsey Harding, WIP director, at lharding@uga.edu. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
UGA photo
The Ailey II dance company worked with students across campus and in the community around its Jan. 31 performance.
Performing Arts Center outreach events educate both campus and community By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
When the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center opened in 1996, educational outreach was a major part of its mission, along with bringing world-class performances to Athens. Since that time, the PAC has offered a variety of education programs for thousands of students throughout Georgia, and the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 7 saw an unprecedented level of learning activities with 16 events serving more than 1,600 students across multiple disciplines. “I am so pleased that we were able to coordinate such an expansive outreach program.These educational residencies with our visiting artists have been a year-and-a-half in the planning, and I can honestly say it was worth the effort,” said Jeffrey Martin, director of the Performing Arts Center. “It’s gratifying to see how we have been able to impact young people in the community and share the joy of live performance with them and also to enhance the educational experience for our own students here at UGA. “These experiences allow UGA students focusing on performing arts disciplines to work closely with professional artists who are currently performing their work at the highest levels throughout the world. The long-lasting value of this type of mentoring has a powerful impact,” he said. The multidisciplinary educational programs encompassed music, dance, theater, puppetry arts and African American history and were offered in conjunction with the residencies of the Ailey II dance company, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra and Australia’s Last Great Hunt theater company. UGA Presents, the presenting arm of the Performing Arts Center, brought Ailey II to Athens for a Jan. 31 performance in the Fine Arts Theatre. While the company was in town, the dancers worked with students from the UGA department of dance, the UGA Institute for African American Studies, East Athens Educational Dance Center and Dance FX. The ensemble also presented a program on the Performances for Young People series, the PAC’s education series created specifically
for children in grades two through 12. The Curtis Symphony Orchestra from the Curtis Institute of Music, one of the world’s premier conservatories, was on campus for a Feb. 3 concert in Hodgson Hall. During the orchestra’s thee-day residency, conductor Osmo Vänskä, who also serves as music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, guest pianist Jonathan Biss and Curtis composition faculty member David Ludwig worked with students in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. The Curtis Orchestra also presented a Performance for Young People concert for Clarke County and area students. “The conducting master class with maestro Vänskä was an invaluable experience not just for the conductors but for the ensemble players. He shared his energy and passion for the music, and at the end, he was very impressed about the potential that the school of music has,” said Jean Gómez, a third-year doctoral student in conducting. Ahui, a second-year doctoral student from Mongolia, China, participated in the piano master class. “It was an honor to have a master class with the internationally acclaimed pianist Jonathan Biss. His artistry and passion for performing is extremely inspiring for a music student like me. His professionalism and kindness is what we students aspire to in the future,” she said. The Last Great Hunt theater company staged its production of New Owner, which combines live action, animation and puppetry, in the Performing Arts Center’s Ramsey Concert Hall on Feb. 7. While in residence at UGA, the company presented a puppetry workshop for students from the department of theatre and film studies as well as presenting three Performances for Young People for Clarke County and area schools. The Performing Arts Center’s education and outreach initiatives are supported by The Performing Arts Center Arts Education Partners Fund, AthFest Educates and Pinnacle Bank.Additional support was provided by the University of Georgia Parents Leadership Council, Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, the Christine and Thomas Pavlak Performing Arts Center Endowment, Eagle Granite Company, Jane Huang and Philipp Torres, and Jim and Carol Warnes.